Rating: 2.5/5
Crime dramas set in small-town India have become increasingly common over the last few years, but every now and then a show arrives with enough ingredients to stand apart from the crowd. Ab Hoga Hisaab is one such series. On paper, it has all the makings of an engaging thriller — family conflict, illegal immigration rackets, organ trafficking, betrayal, and a pair of brothers caught in circumstances beyond their control. The problem is that while the story has potential, the execution often struggles to keep up.
Created by Divyanshu Malhotra, the series attempts to combine emotional family drama with a dark criminal underworld operating beneath the surface of Punjab’s immigration dreams. There are moments where the show genuinely grabs your attention, particularly when it focuses on its central mystery and the bond between two brothers. Yet just when the narrative begins building momentum, uneven writing and questionable character decisions pull it back down.
A Crime Story Rooted in Punjab’s Dark Reality
The story revolves around Bobby Manocha (Shaheer Sheikh) and his younger brother Bunty Manocha (Avinash Mishra), two men chasing better futures while battling financial hardships. Their personalities couldn’t be more different. Bobby is responsible, grounded, and willing to sacrifice his own happiness for his family. Bunty, meanwhile, is impulsive, emotional, and often guided by his heart rather than his head.
Bobby returns home after being deported from Canada, keeping the truth hidden from his family while quietly taking odd jobs to repay mounting debts. Bunty spends his days working as a gym trainer and enjoying the comforts provided by his wealthy girlfriend Lovely Sekhon (Aasheema Vardaan). However, he remains haunted by the disappearance of his former love Pinky Bawa, who left for Canada and seemingly vanished from his life.
An unexpected incident changes everything, dragging the brothers into a dangerous network involving illegal immigration and human trafficking. The deeper they dig, the more they discover about a criminal empire thriving behind respectable businesses and public appearances.
One of the show’s strongest aspects is its use of the “Kabootarbaazi” backdrop. The term is commonly associated with illegal migration routes used by people desperate to settle abroad. Instead of treating the issue as a mere plot device, the series explores how vulnerable individuals become trapped in larger criminal systems while chasing dreams of a better life.
Strong Premise, Uneven Execution
The criminal network is controlled by Goldy Sekhon, played by Sanjay Kapoor. On the surface, he runs an IELTS coaching center helping people prepare for immigration opportunities. Behind closed doors, however, he oversees a much darker operation involving organ trafficking and exploitation.
This setup gives the series genuine dramatic potential. There are moments when the show effectively highlights how greed, desperation, and social pressure create opportunities for predators to thrive. Unfortunately, the writing often undermines its own strengths.
Several characters behave in ways that feel difficult to justify, and many situations seem designed purely to generate drama rather than emerge naturally from the story. Logic frequently takes a backseat, making some emotional moments less impactful than they should have been.
The dialogue is another recurring issue. While some exchanges work well, others feel oddly exaggerated or unintentionally comical. Instead of deepening the emotional weight of scenes, certain lines distract from them. This becomes particularly noticeable during moments that are supposed to carry serious dramatic significance.
The series also suffers from trying to juggle too many ideas simultaneously. Family conflict, romance, crime, corruption, immigration, organ trafficking, and revenge all compete for attention. As a result, several storylines feel underdeveloped despite the show’s considerable runtime.
Shaheer Sheikh Carries The Series
If there’s one reason to watch Ab Hoga Hisaab, it’s Shaheer Sheikh. The actor delivers the most convincing performance in the show and consistently elevates scenes even when the material lets him down. Bobby is easily the most layered character in the series, and Sheikh handles the emotional burden of the role with impressive restraint.
His portrayal works because he never overplays Bobby’s struggles. Whether dealing with family responsibilities, financial pressure, or dangerous criminal situations, Sheikh manages to keep the character believable. Even during weaker scenes, he remains invested enough to keep viewers engaged.
Avinash Mishra has a more challenging task as Bunty. The character swings between carefree rebel, romantic dreamer, and emotionally damaged young man. Mishra does have effective moments, particularly when the story explores Bunty’s vulnerabilities. However, his performance occasionally feels inconsistent, resulting in scenes that range from compelling to overly dramatic.
Sanjay Kapoor embraces the villainous nature of Goldy Sekhon with confidence. While the character occasionally drifts toward caricature territory, Kapoor brings enough menace to make him a credible threat. His presence ensures that the show’s criminal underworld remains interesting even when the writing falters.
Female Characters Deserve Better Treatment
One of the series’ biggest disappointments lies in how it handles its female characters. Despite featuring several important women in the narrative, most are given limited depth or are reduced to repetitive traits.
Mouni Roy’s Kamna Bhardwaj is perhaps the most affected by this problem. Introduced as Sekhon’s intelligent and strategic associate, the character rarely receives the complexity needed to justify her reputation. Instead, much of her dialogue relies on repetitive innuendo that quickly becomes tiresome.
Aasheema Vardaan performs confidently as Lovely, bringing energy to a role that could have easily become forgettable. However, the character remains trapped within predictable writing choices. Nimrit Kaur Ahluwalia fares better than most. As Gazal, she brings intensity and mystery to the screen while sharing some of the series’ strongest moments alongside Shaheer Sheikh.
Her storyline hints at larger developments that could become important in future seasons. The chemistry between Gazal and Bobby also introduces an emotional layer that feels more genuine than some of the show’s other relationships.
The soundtrack deserves a mention as well. Shaan’s rendition of “Saaiyaan Ve” adds emotional depth to several scenes and succeeds where the dialogue sometimes struggles.
An Intriguing Ending Sets Up More
The season concludes by placing Bobby deeper inside Sekhon’s organization. Having earned the crime lord’s trust, he becomes increasingly involved in the dangerous world he initially hoped to expose. At the same time, his search for answers regarding his missing brother continues, setting the stage for future confrontations and revelations.
The final episodes leave several questions unanswered, particularly regarding Bobby’s future, Gazal’s true motivations, and the fate of the Manocha brothers. Those unresolved threads provide enough intrigue to justify another season.
Ab Hoga Hisaab is ultimately a show that works better in concept than execution. It tackles relevant themes and features a genuinely engaging central performance from Shaheer Sheikh, but inconsistent writing prevents it from reaching its full potential. There is enough drama, mystery, and emotional conflict to keep viewers watching, yet the series often feels like it’s fighting against its own script.
For audiences who enjoy crime dramas packed with twists and family conflict, there’s still entertainment to be found here. But if a second season arrives, the storytelling will need to become sharper, smarter, and more confident. The foundation is there. The writing simply needs to catch up.
